The Pimple In The East: Korea's Second Melody

18:00
August 25, 2015


The South Korean intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Service, has claimed that a ‘dramatic shakeup’ has taken place within the North Korean government. The exact nature of what has happened is unknown, with South Korean officials refusing to speculate. However, sources in the British Embassy in Pyongyang have told the BBC that armoured vehicles have been seen on the otherwise empty streets, and that they are being prevented by North Korean officials from leaving the confines of the embassy. This appears to also be the case for the Brazilian and German Embassies. Speaking to the BBC by satellite phone earlier, a British Embassy official who wishes to remain anonymous described the situation.
“The North Koreans never actually came within the territory of the Embassy, but they had soldiers with rifles and combat uniforms come up to the gates and talk with our officials, and they demanded to speak to the Ambassador. Eventually he did come out and talk to them, then returned to tell us we weren’t allowed to leave. They’ve cut off the phone lines and our Internet’s dead. I’m on the top floor of the Embassy and every now and again a truck loaded with soldiers or an armoured personnel carrier rolls past. I haven’t heard any gunfire, none at all. It’s eerie, that’s all I can really describe it as, just eerie.”

Reacting to the news, the Foreign Office has called for the North Korean government to continue to respect the rights of foreign diplomats while also appealing for calm within the capital. Very little news has left North Korea, and it is believed that foreign tourists in Pyongyang may have been detained to prevent them contacting the outside world.

In response to the ongoing situation, the South Korean military, as well as American forces stationed in South Korea, have gone to high alert. A high-level source in the U.S. State Department has informed us that it is widely believed that a coup may have taken place in North Korea, though we stress that this is unconfirmed. The Secretary of State, Mr John Kerry, is expected to make a statement shortly.

18:25
August 25, 2015


“Good afternoon everyone, I just want to briefly comment on this situation in North Korea. We are naturally lacking in some facts right now but I’ll give you all we’ve got. In conjunction with our South Korean allies, U.S. intelligence agencies have been lead to believe with near-certainty that a military coup may be taking place in North Korea. We have no information at this time as to who may be leading this coup, how great in number the coup forces are, or the current status of the North Korean government. Naturally we are deeply concerned about the safety of American citizens in North Korea and we appeal to the relevant authorities to allow all American and other foreign nationals free exit from the country. The United States Pacific Command has been brought to high alert, which includes all U.S. forces stationed in South Korea, and they will remain at this state of heightened readiness as long as the crisis prevails. It is the hope of the United States that the situation in North Korea will prove ultimately beneficial, and we await its result with willingness to engage positively with whatever administration may emerge in the interest of regional stability.”

That was Mr John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, addressing the media on the situation in North Korea. Mr Kerry said that American officials had near-certainty that a military coup is taking place in the country, but was unable to provide much detail on exactly what’s happening on the ground.

23:47
August 25, 2015


Breaking news just coming in to CNN, the Korean Central News Agency, that’s the North Korean state-run news agency, has just announced the failure of the coup which we’ve been reporting to you in North Korea. KCNA released a statement reading, quote, “a vile attempt at piggish treachery by the foulest of inbred bastard dogs to overthrow the wise leadership and guidance of Marshal Kim Jong-un has been perfectly thwarted.”

The report goes on to say that Kim Jong-un remains in complete control, and lays the blame for the coup on a “handful” of conspirators. It claims that the deployment of army units into Pyongyang was actually the doing of the central government, not those behind the coup, to “ensure the security and stability of the Democratic People’s Republic against those who would attempt the most profound and deepest betrayal against the very soul of the Korean people.” We’re still waiting on news from the State Department, but U.S. forces in the Pacific remain on high alert.
 
Extremely interesting start, I'll be following the development of this TL.

I wonder what will be the official and unofficial reaction from China to these under development events...
 
God only knows what Kim will do next...

EDIT: Also, I believe the word you're looking for in the title is malady, not melody.
 
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11:00
August 26, 2015


A failed attempt at a military coup has allegedly taken place in North Korea. Details on the coup remain sketchy but within the last hour, Kim Jong-un has addressed an emergency session of the Supreme People’s Assembly. In his address, he claimed that “villains” within the highest echelons of power had conspired with the governments of the United States and South Korea to overthrow the ruling Worker’s Party. Though he named no culprits, North Korean media has ousted Vice Marshal Hwang Pyong-so as the alleged architect of the coup. The fate of Mr Pyong-so is not yet known.

Experts on North Korea were quick to notice that numerous members of the Social Democrats and Chondoist Chongu parties, who hold seats in the Supreme People’s Assembly, were missing from Kim Jong-un’s speech. Like Mr Pyong-so, their fate is unknown. It remains impossible to make contact with any foreign tourists within North Korea, but authorities in the country recently informed the German Ambassador that tourists in Pyongyang have been gathered at the Yanggakdo International Hotel to face questioning. They insisted that all are being treated with respect and are unharmed. It is likely that the North Korean authorities believe conspirators may be among the tourists.

The State Department has once again reiterated its call for a return to order in North Korea, and for all detained foreign nationals to be freed immediately. The situation is reminiscent of similar events which took place in Iraq during the First Gulf War, when American citizens were detained to be used as hostages.

12:32
August 26, 2015


“Wolf, right now I’m standing right on the edge of the border with North Korea, at the Demilitarised Zone. The situation here is tense; there have been truckloads of South Korean troops arriving every hour, I’ve counted at least 600 extra uniformed soldiers now stationing themselves in the area. There’s been no abnormal activity on the North Korean side; earlier I spoke to an American major, who told me only a handful of extra soldiers had arrived. There’s been several jets passing back and forth for the last couple of hours, on our side, it looks to me like the threat posed by this crisis is being taken very seriously.”

17:35
August 26, 2015


Breaking news coming from Korea, we’ve just gotten word that there has been an exchange of fire over the border between the North and South. The reports are sketchy but what we’re hearing is that North Korean troops may have fired a missile, likely a rocket propelled grenade, at a South Korean loudspeaker system which was broadcasting propaganda into the North. American and South Korean troops responded with small arms fire and the North Koreans did the same, but we’ve no word on casualties at the moment. On the line now from the DMZ is Paula Hancocks, on the DMZ, Paula are you there?

“Yes Wolf, just moments ago we heard the sound of a distant explosion which we now understand was a North Korean rocket being fired at a South Korean loudspeaker, it was apparently broadcasting anti-Kim messages towards the North. We then heard the crackle of gunfire and in the area I’m in the military forces present immediately went to high alert. There’s been no exchange of fire where I am but we’ve been ordered about a mile further south and right now I’m watching U.S. and South Korean forces moving up closer to the border, including Stryker armoured vehicles and Humvees. The authorities here are trying to reassure us that nothing serious is taking place, and the sound of gunfire has halted for a while now.”

18:00
August 26, 2015


Amid the uncertainty over the situation in North Korea, a brief exchange of fire took place at a Demilitarised Zone. It appears that a South Korean propaganda loudspeaker was fired upon with a rocket launcher, which led American and South Korean troops to return fire. The subsequent exchange lasted less than fifteen seconds, with one South Korean soldier injured. Casualty figures for the North Koreans are unknown but in a statement in Seoul the commander of U.S. forces in Korea, General Curtis Scaparrotti, claimed as many as five North Korean soldiers may have been killed. He stressed that this did not imply a wider conflict was likely, pointing out that other more heavy exchanges of fire take place fairly regularly, the most recent being last Thursday.

Today at Prime Minister’s Questions, David Cameron told MPs that the government is doing “all it can” to relieve British nationals currently trapped in North Korea. He acknowledged that contact with them has still not been achieved, and called on the North Korean government once more to release them. This was the first time that such language has been used, implying that the government is now considering them to be held prisoner rather than detained, as the North Koreans have claimed. The Foreign Office has also informed the British Embassy in Pyongyang that it should be ready to pack up and leave at a moment’s notice.

07:55
August 27, 2015


The North Korean government has claimed that several arrests have been made of foreign tourists who were detained in Pyongyang, as well as another who was in the north of the country. They have not been identified but the North Koreans are accusing them of espionage and supporting the coup. They are continuing to refuse to release any of the detainees at this time. In response, the White House has threatened to deepen sanctions against North Korea while China has appealed for calm from both sides.
 
09:10
August 27, 2015


“The United States calls on North Korea to immediately, without delay, release all American detainees including those placed under arrest, and allow their safe return home. If they fail to do so, we shall embark on additional international sanctions to completely cut North Korea off from the world economy. We do not seek conflict, only a meaningful resolution. As long as North Korea poses no threat to the United States or its allies, so too we shall pose no threat to North Korea.”

That was John Kerry speaking at the White House press briefing room, calling on North Korea to immediately release the “detainees,” he did not refer to them as hostages.

12:35
August 27, 2015


“I’ll tell you what, we can’t have this! It’s no good, no good at all, Kim and his friends just seize a bunch of Americans and we let them get away with it. Remember Iran? I remember Iran, when they took the hostages. It’s like that, it’s just like that, they take the hostages and they keep them and keep them and they milk it and milk it, it’s bad, it’s really bad. What you’ve gotta do is tell them ‘if you don’t let em go, we blast the hell out of you.’ Why don’t we do that anymore? We can turn their little country to ash, why don’t we? They can’t even afford food, they’re all starving, you think they’ve got the energy to fight us? Crush em, make em suffer, that’s what I say, and that’s what I’d be doing if I was President.”

09:50
August 28, 2015


“Our own President, first he won’t call radical Islamic terrorism what it is, now he won’t call hostages what they are, it’s an insult to their families! And it’s an insult to America because it tells Americans you don’t matter enough to Obama for him to admit you’re being held hostage. If he doesn’t even call them hostages, why will he send help? He’s not gonna do anything, I’m calling it right now, just like Iran they won’t release them until a Republican president is in office, and they’ll do it then because that’ll be when they know we mean business.”

13:45
August 28, 2015


The great Democratic People’s Republic of Korea knows the truth that the dastardly attempt to tear power from the grand Worker’s Party was a shadow plot by America and the puppet South! America shall always deny its crimes but only their tricksters and the illegitimate monkey president have the shamelessness to pull off such underhanded evil!

15:42
August 28, 2015


“The People’s Republic calls on all parties to exercise great care and take all necessary steps to reduce tensions. Regional stability is vital for the health of all the world, and so we call on all parties to act in a cool-headed manner. We call on the government of the Democratic People’s Republic to refrain from actions which could jeopardise peace in Asia and to recognise the great importance of cooperation not confrontation between nations.

16:00
August 28, 2015


The North Korean government is continuing to insist, against American denials, that the coup attempt three days ago was coordinated by the United States. There continue to be thirty American hostages held within North Korea, they’ve now been moved to an unknown location outside Pyongyang, some are being charged with assisting the coup while those accompanying them are also being detained, virtually all being charged either with trying to overthrow the government or with espionage. Their passports and documents have all been destroyed, the North Koreans claimed this was to “prevent them spreading their deceit elsewhere.” They have also announced that American and Canadian passport holders will be forbidden from entering North Korea for the foreseeable future. The Chinese government is now openly appealing for calm and has called on North Korea to act reasonably.

21:00
August 28, 2015

“what can u expect, obama hates america always has always will why would he stand up to nort korea”
- "He's Muslim Brotherhood, as if this couldn't be seen coming a MILE off"
“Thank CHRIST trump isnt potus, we’d already have a war with korea and china. Has anyone ever stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, obama is actually doing more but that its behind the scenes and hes not gonna announce his every move on national television. Fuckin idiots”
- "you'll be running home to north korea with the rest of your commie friends when TRUMP MAKES AMERICA GREAT AGAIN"
“TRUMP 2016 MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!!!”
"no money for defending american citizens plenty of money for obummercare"
“whatre they feeding the hostages? goats?”
- “they don’t have goats in asia read a book fuckhead”

- "This is why America is fucked."
- "i hope that you die"

Comments?
 
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21:00
August 28, 2015

“what can u expect, obama hates america always has always will why would he stand up to nort korea”
- "He's Muslim Brotherhood, as if this couldn't be seen coming a MILE off"
“Thank CHRIST trump isnt potus, we’d already have a war with korea and china. Has anyone ever stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, obama is actually doing more but that its behind the scenes and hes not gonna announce his every move on national television. Fuckin idiots”
- "you'll be running home to north korea with the rest of your commie friends when TRUMP MAKES AMERICA GREAT AGAIN"
“TRUMP 2016 MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!!!”
"no money for defending american citizens plenty of money for obummercare"
“whatre they feeding the hostages? goats?”
- “they don’t have goats in asia read a book fuckhead”

- "This is why America is fucked."
- "i hope that you die"

Comments?

What is this, Free Republic?
 
I definitely stopped into this thread because the title looked fairly absurd. But...I'm enjoying the narrative style thus far, and look forward to seeing where this goes.
 
US Administration worst nightmare.

Realistic reactions to the events in North Korea and the reactions of their leadership, who already if they are extremely paranoid and fearful of the outside world, are also predictable ... maybe could theirs reactions even more violent and would not rule situation who act imprudently and, starting to execute any Western citizens in their possession.

Summarizing the Obama administration is facing one of the least desired possibility of conflict and perhaps the worst nightmares of the American international policy...

A reissue of the hostage crisis from the US embassy in Iran but a thousand times worse!

Not to mention that before the Americans, carry out any measure or retaliation against North Korea... should include their South Korean allies and of course have in their calculations and planning with the reaction of China and its more than likely opposition of reprisals military and of course any military solution to the crisis... that is not made for them...
 
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